SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / May 30, 2025 / To keep the spotlight on women in global aviation and aerospace in recent months, Olga Custodio's release of her awe-inspiring memoir, Flightpath of Fortitude: Breaking Barriers, Building Horizons, is timely.
As the first Latina to complete USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training, she served for 24 years and retired as a Lt Col. Custodio was also the first American Airlines Latina commercial airline pilot and retired as Captain with a 20-year career. Now a STEM advocate, speaker, author, and community leader, she advocates for inspiring and empowering students to pursue STEM careers in aviation and aerospace.
As Custodio shares, graduating in the top 5% of her class (of 48) with a fighter qualification to fly the T-38 as an instructor pilot was the "easiest" part of her journey inside a profession dominated by men, including some who closed the door on opportunities she was qualified for. She writes, "Aviation has always been more than just flight - it is a testament to resilience, determination, and the unbreakable
spirit of those who dare to defy gravity. My journey into the skies was never just about piloting aircraft; it was about navigating a world where few who looked like me had gone before. Flightpath of Fortitude is a tribute to every woman, every Latina, and every dreamer who has ever been told that the sky is out of reach."
Flightpath of Fortitude has received acclaim by renowned figures in the military, aviation, business and STEM. "Custodio, the first Latina to become a U.S. military pilot and later a commercial airline captain, crafts her story with clarity, warmth, and an unyielding sense of purpose," says Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Chad T. Manske, USAF, Daedalian Foundation chairman of the Board of Trustees. Speaking to its universal appeal, Claudia Cataldi, president of Brazilian Press Association of Electronic and Digital Media-RJ and doctoral student specializing in Warfare at Brazilian War College, adds, "Olga Custodio, a woman ahead of her time and a pioneer far from her birthplace, shattered ceilings, and defied traditions with the discipline of a soldier and the heart of a trailblazer. She reminds us that belonging isn't about waiting for a seat at the table; it's about daring to build your own runway. Every chapter is a battlefield won through perseverance, every page a reminder that no dream is too distant when you have the courage to chase it." Finally, Chris Cole, powerpreneur and author of G Street to Wall Street, remarked, "Olga is the very definition of fortitude for any population that must fight twice as hard for a seat."
The book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Booktopia, Hudson Booksellers, Walmart, Waterstones, and numerous indie bookstores.
For speaking engagements and media, contact Olga Custodio at purflygirl@gmail.com.
Contact Information
Olga Custodio
purflygirl@gmail.com
SOURCE: PUR Flygirl
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